Cardiff City have already been busy in this transfer window, but there's clearly plenty of work still to be done before the start of the new season.
The arrival of James Collins has offered up some welcome competition for star striker Kieffer Moore up front, while the loan capture of Ryan Giles will hopefully take the edge off Joe Bennett's departure and offer a bit of flair on the left.
Ryan Wintle could well add some steel to midfield, while Mark McGuinness brings a welcome further option at the heart of the defence.
But there's one piece that's still missing.
One Harry Wilson-shaped piece to be precise.
Whether in the number 10 role, or on the right side of a front three, Wilson was an integral part of Cardiff's plans last season, netting seven goals and racking up 13 assists.
Cardiff, ever the optimists, have publicly declared their interest in taking Wilson back, but a move back to the capital, for various reasons, seems highly unlikely.
But there are potential solutions, not least within the Cardiff squad.
After all, let's not forget just how brilliant Lee Tomlin was before McCarthy's arrival. Crowned player of the season under Neil Harris as City marched to the play-offs, his impact in the number 10 role was pivotal.
With Wilson now gone, there's certainly a clear pathway for Tomlin to muscle his way back into the the team, and the player himself may well feel as though he has a point to prove.
READ MORE: Get Cardiff City's 2021-22 season off to the best start with our special edition club annual
Tomlin spent nearly the entirety of last season out with a groin injury, and played just five Championship games last term, and many will understandably be wondering if he's capable of being the same player.
The sight of him getting time under his belt during the opening pre-season clash with Bath City was certainly an important first step, and may well ease any concerns around McCarthy's apparent reluctance to re-introduce him to the first-team fray.
For what it's worth, Tomlin has already had the backing from his boss, who towards the end of last season appeared to suggest Tomlin was in his thinking for the coming campaign.
He said: "He will be going away and he needs to come back — he has had a difficult season with injury — so I am really looking forward to seeing him fully fit and raring to go for pre-season."
From the outside, it admittedly doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but McCarthy's not exactly been good at hiding his enthusiasm for selling a player - just ask Robert Glatzel, who was publicly told he was not going to be in his plans going forward.
Tomlin undoubtedly has the technical ability to repay that faith, but at the age of 32, McCarthy's not the only one he'll have to potentially convince over the coming campaign.
A recent fan poll conducted by WalesOnline found that Tomlin was a player many Bluebirds supporters identified as one to potentially move on this summer.
But given the apparent dearth of creative players at McCarthy's disposal, to bid farewell to the former Bristol City man would surely be something of a gamble.
Speaking of gambles, young Rubin Colwill is once again being tipped for big things this term after making his first-team breakthrough under McCarthy last season.
The teenager quickly made a huge impression on the veteran boss, and has also won over the admiration of many City fans.
A call-up to Rob Page's Wales squad for Euro 2020 is a testament to the impression he's made in the capital and, while he didn't get the chance to strut his stuff on the international stage this summer, the experience of hanging around the nation's best players will have been a hugely positive experience.
Indeed, one has to wonder if he had a chance to pick the brains of former Cardiff star Aaron Ramsey during his time in the camp.
Should his career continue on such a meteoric trajectory, Colwill undoubtedly has a tremendous future ahead of him.
But is he really ready to be the creative kingpin in a side that many will be hoping can return to the Championship's top six?
Jury's still out on that one.
Colwill certainly has a role to play, but McCarthy would surely prefer another, more established, option. Someone who has perhaps got a proven track record in this division.
The problem City have is that such players, even in the time before Covid, cost more than a pretty penny.
By the sounds of it, McCarthy won't have too many of those in his pocket this summer.
